Abstract

To the editor: Kelly and colleagues (1) have suggested that sexual function and sex hormone concentrations can be restored to normal levels after iron depletion therapy in certain patients with hypogonadism due to hemochromatosis. Unfortunately, the alcohol history and details of liver disease in these patients were not documented, because these factors also could have contributed to hypogonadism.

Their claim of reversible hypogonadism is based on findings in two patients, one of whom had the rare finding in hemochromatosis of primary testicular failure (2-4). The other patient had a modestly reduced testosterone level. Also interesting is that the two patients